How to Use Price Per Wear to Build Your Dream Wardrobe
By Natasha Lopez
To the untrained eye, an item of clothing has only one cost—the price tag. But have you thought about its real value based on how often you wear it? Haters call it girl math; we call it price per wear. Price per wear (PPW) is a way to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a clothing item by dividing its purchase price by the number of times you expect to wear it. This concept highlights the value of investing in quality, versatile pieces that get frequent use as opposed to cheaper items worn only once or twice. A well-loved piece, even if pricey upfront, can actually be more economical over time.
Understanding and using PPW when shopping can help us build sustainable habits and allocate our clothing budgets more effectively by keeping the long-term purpose of garments in mind. When adding new pieces to our wardrobes, we should envision how each item can be integrated into our lives while maintaining its quality and relevance to our personal style.
One of our favorite examples of PPW in action is this video by vintage fashion creator Tanya Ravichandran. In it, Tanya styles a $300 vintage Alexander McQueen top in 15 different ways, bringing its price per wear down to $20. By spreading the cost of that single, versatile top over multiple outfits, it essentially becomes a fraction of its original price. We’re not saying $300 is a small amount to spend on one item, but we believe that clothing is made to be worn and cherished. It’s far more economical and sustainable to invest in a single, well-loved $300 piece than to buy a $300 haul from Shein, where microtrend-focused items may quickly lose their appeal, wear out, and need replacing.
Now, while a fast fashion piece has the potential to be styled in multiple ways, last a long time if we choose to hold onto it, and achieve a low PPW, the reality is that today, most clothing pieces are worn only 7 to 10 times before being discarded. This short lifespan not only drives up the actual cost per wear but also contributes to issues of clothing waste and environmental pollution, which impact communities in the global south where much of this waste ends up.
PPW is a perception practice. The dream wardrobes sold to us by pop culture and fast fashion are often huge, cluttered, and temporary—cut to scenes of clothes tossed in the air, ending with a dramatic “OMG, I have nothing to wear!” or having a cute outfit met with a “that look is soooo last season!” When in reality, PPW helps us unlearn these ideals of excess and disposability. Our true dream wardrobes—the kind that make us feel happy, satisfied, and excited about what we already own—are composed of carefully chosen, high-quality pieces. These are the items we choose to invest in, whether that means spending more than we normally would on a singular piece or taking the time to consider how the monetary cost of an item translates into the number of times it can be worn.
Tips for Calculating Price Per Wear (PPW)
If you're ready to evaluate your next clothing purchase through the lens of PPW, here are some helpful tips to guide you:
Consider its versatility. Evaluate if the item can be styled in multiple ways for various occasions, which can increase its wearability. Brainstorm how many outfits you can create with existing pieces in your wardrobe and make sure that the new item complements what you already own.
Think about its durability. Check the quality of the materials and construction—well-made items are likely to last longer and endure more wear. Try to avoid virgin polyester.
Assess your personal style. Reflect on whether you genuinely love the piece and see it fitting into your wardrobe long-term since this will impact how often you wear it.
Factor in seasonal wear. Is the item suitable for different seasons? If yes, you might end up wearing it more throughout the year.
Tips for Budgeting for Sustainable Shopping
Unsure how much to allocate for your clothing expenses? These tips will help you establish a sensible budget for your susty shopping trip:
Review your current wardrobe. Analyze the price per wear of the pieces you already own to gain insights into your purchasing habits and spot areas for improvement.
Determine your spending capacity. Assess your income and spending habits to set a realistic clothing budget that aligns with your financial situation.
Incorporate PPW in your budgeting. Use price per wear to see how spending more upfront on quality pieces that will last longer may provide better value over time. Okay, maybe it is a little like girl math.
Focus on investment pieces over trends. What are timeless styles to you? Prioritize buying pieces that defy microtrends and align with styles you love over succumbing to fleeting fashion trends.
Allocate funds for fewer, high-quality pieces each season. Instead of buying multiple low-quality items, invest in a select few pieces. This can mean opting for one full outfit every season or just a few pieces
Shop secondhand. It’s no secret that clothing made before the rise of fast fashion is often of higher quality than what we find today. Stop by your local thrift stores, vintage shops, or favorite online resale platforms to find quality pieces at a lower price.
Now that you have PPW in your toolkit of sustainable shopping methods, use it to build a wardrobe you’re proud of—one that's unique, well-loved, and a lifelong investment!
 | A guest post by
|